Improvement in water-wheels



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

rf J. w. ADAMs, 0E GALEsTowN, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,660, (lated May 15, 1866.

had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lisa side sectional view of my invention, taken in the line a' a", Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, taken in the line y, Fig. I; Fig. 3, asection of Fig. 4, taken in the line z c; Fig. 4,21, horizontal section of the wheel-scroll, taken in the line z z', Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Thisii'lvention relates to a new and improved water-wheel and the adapta-tion of it to sawmills, whereby a very economical means is obtained for driving saws by water-power, and the device rendered capable of being very readily put up or adjusted for use, and also very read` ily repaired when necessary, all the parts being very accessible.

A represents a horizontal shaft, on which the wheel B is rmly keyed, and C is a box or scroll in which the wheel works. One side, a, of the wheel is solid, but the other side, a', is open or of annular form, to admit of the discharge of the water therefrom. The sides of the scroll have circular openings b made in them, corresponding in diameter to the sides a a of the wheel.

The wheel B is provided with buckets c, which are curved in S form, as shown clearly in Fig. l, and the edges of the sides a a are rounded, as shown clearly at a* in Fig. 2, to admit of the free passage of the Waterinto the wheel.

rlhe scroll C has its front and rear sides, del,

secured to the sides c c of a horizontal framing, D, which supports thc whole of the driving mechanism. Thesides del are fitted in notches fin the sides e c of' the framing D, in order to prevent any lateral movement of the scroll.

Directly over the scroll is the penstock E, provided with a gate, F, by which wateris admitted into the scroll C.

At one end of the shaft A there is a crank, G, to which the pitman which drives the sawframe is attached, and this crank is inclosed 1 within a boX, H, which is fitted on the framing D'. By this arrangement it will be seen that the power of the wheel is applied to the saw in a very direct manuel', and all the advantages of the turbine wheel are obtained wit-h those of the ordinary overshot wheel.

The S-shap`ed curve of the buckets c of the wheel causes the water to act upon the latter in the most favorable manner, and the invention, it is believed, will entirely supersede the ordinary small ilutterwheels, as well as the large overshot wheels hitherto used for saw-mills, as .a great saving in the consumption of water is effected over the former, and the gearing required with thc latter dispensed with.

All ofthe parts are accessible for repairs, and they are very compactly arranged, and may be constructed and put up in working order at a very moderate expense.V

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat-l ent- The arrangementof the penstock E, scroll C, frame D, wheel B, with its sides a a and' purpose herein specified. l

I. J. W. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

URIAH 'I. OWENS, AsBURY DEAN. 

